Nurses to make resuscitation decisions
Nurses can make decisions on whether or not to resuscitate under guidelines issued by the BMA. Ultimately, it is the most senior clinician involved with the patient who can make this decision. In some cases this could mean a suitably experienced nurse, says the BMA. Previously, only GPs and consultants were able to make the decision. For more information, go to www.bma.org.uk.
GPs should listen more to depressed patients
GPs need to listen more to people with depression, claim UK researchers. Interviews with 32 GPs and 61 patients showed the two groups were often polarised over treatment outcomes. While GPs tended to see depression as being separate from the self and that the condition could be beaten, a quarter of patients thought coping day-to-day was more important (Br J Gen Pract 2007; 57: 872-9).
NICE issues guidance on behaviour
NICE has issued guidance to help healthcare professionals change patients' behaviour so they can enjoy healthier lives. The best strategies to help people quit cigarettes or eat more healthily are included in the public health guideline.
HPV vaccine to be introduced in 2008
The HPV vaccine will be introduced into the childhood immunisation schedule from September 2008 for all girls aged between 12 and 13 years, the DoH has announced. The programme will also include a catch-up campaign designed to target girls up to the age of 18, commencing in the autumn of 2009.
Out-of-hours success in Cornwall
A private firm responsible for out-of-hours care in Cornwall that was given a 20-day ultimatum to improve has declared itself 'one of the best performing out-of-hours services'. In March 2007, then health minister Andy Burnham promised to take a personal interest in the performance of the firm, Serco, after Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT gave it 20 days to improve.
Jonathan Fielden clarification
GP would like to clarify a statement attributed to Jonathan Fielden, of the BMA's consultants committee, in an article headlined: 'How will access plans affect GPs? (GP, 26 October, page 10). The article said: 'To Mr Fielden, the parallels with the current situation in primary care are clear: there are not enough GPs and out-of-hours care is a shambles.' Dr Fielden actually said: 'The parallels with general practice are clear - we need more GPs, particularly in very deprived areas, andmany areas are deeply challenged by the issue of out of hours. I know that hospitals are becoming very challenged by out of hours and the increase in A&E attendances the current situation has created. There is a real need to increase capacity.'
